The present invention relates generally to cutting tools and more particularly to snips and shears useful for cutting sheet metal or other stiff or rigid material.
One of the problems associated with conventional snips and shears is that the material being cut interfers with the movement of the blades or handles. To solve this problem, offset snips and shears have been provided which include a lower blade having a horizontally disposed body depending from a relatively narrow vertical neck. The cutting edge of this lower blade has been offset with respect to the vertical neck to allow cutting straight or in a curved path to the right or to the left. Problems, however, still remain, such as limited strength of the lower blade; frictional drag of the material passing over and under the lower blade, and over the land of the upper blade; frictional drag of the contacting surfaces of the blades remote from the cutting edges; and frictional drag in the sliding connection between the upper blade and its attached handle.
Those concerned with these and other problems recognize the need for an improved snips and shears. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The snips and shears of the present invention provide for maximum strength of the lower blade by use of the stepped design of the blade; provide for minimum frictional drag resulting from contact of the material being cut by use of the raised cutting edge of the lower blade and the downwardly depending heel of the upper blade; provide for minimum frictional drag resulting from contact of the blade surfaces by use of the friction surface having a limited surface area; and provide for minimum frictional drag of the sliding connection between the upper blade and its handle by use of a sleeve bearing over the connecting rivet.
An object of the present invention is the provision of an improved snips and shears.
Another object of the present invention is to provide snips and shears that are durable and easy to use.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide snips and shears that are efficiently designed and inexpensive to manufacture.